New strategic education plan launched

WINDHOEK SELMA IKELA Deputy Minister of Education Silvia Makgone has launched the Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP) for 2012 to 2017, as well as the Performance Management Plan (PMP). Makgone said the MSP will guide the ministry to provide accessible and equitable quality education to all the learners. It provides a means to creating an environment for staff members to perform to the best of their abilities. The plan directs us to accelerate the pace of development and maintain physical infrastructure. It further calls on us and guides us in the establishment of mutual beneficial relationships with our stakeholders, said Makgone. The deputy minister said for any organisation to be successful, it needs to define the strategy or direction it intends to follow and make sure that decisions about allocating its resources - human and financial - takes place in the chosen direction. Makgone said the document was preceded by a detailed examination of the expectations the nation had from the ministry, a study of the national development goals and an analysis of what needs to be done to support the achievement of these goals. She said they also looked at the support they need from stakeholders and how to harness that support. The Director of Education in Oshikoto Region, Lameck Kafidi, said in they have already started with our strategic plan for the region. Now what we are doing is simply adjusting ours to incorporate what we might have missed as a region, Kafidi said. He added that strategic plans have their own challenges, because it requires people taking ownership. A strategic plan is no plan without the resources that goes with it, and that is a serious challenge. We in the ministry have the plan, but we have no control over what will be allocated as resources. If the resources are made available, this is a wonderful plan and it will work, he said. The Ohangwena Regional Education Sanet Steenkamp stated the region already has performance management plan. She said they also have a committee which is working closely with the circuits and schools to oversee specific programmes, such as leadership management and investing in human resources. Steenkamp added the only way she can hold people accountable is when they are empowered. We have a human resource plan that works closely with the Namibian Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) to have people from Ohangwena from Junior to leadership region to be trained. A teacher's conference will be held between June 26 and 28. We want to specifically engage teachers on critical matters in Ohangwena region. Our aim is to build a committed teacher force. We will engage teachers about their needs, Steenkamp said